


To Save the Savior

by Innocentfighter



Category: Bleach
Genre: Angst, Everyone is in here those are just the main, Gen, I still don't get tagging, Ichigo is kidnapped, M/M, Other, Psychological Torture, Torture, soul mates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-25
Updated: 2013-04-25
Packaged: 2018-01-27 02:44:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1712051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innocentfighter/pseuds/Innocentfighter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ichigo gets attacked and taken hostage by a new set of foes. Soul Society still owed him from the winter war with Aizen. They send a team of shinigami to try to find him. These foes are powerful and ruthless stopping at nothing to get what they want but the problem is no one knows what they want. The story is better than it sounds!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kurosaki Kidnapped

**Author's Note:**

> Title: To Save the Savior
> 
> EDIT: The names been changed because I may or may not write a sequel to this one, it may even be a trilogy. So I don't know if people will stick around with me for something like that. But the former title To Protect the Protector is what I'd use for the second fanfic! So as of right now let me know if you'd read a sequel! EDIT (2): I realized some errors. It should be Jigoku not Igoku, translation malfunction on my part.
> 
> Summary: Ichigo gets attacked and taken hostage by a new set of foes. Soul Society still owed him from the winter war with Aizen. They send a team of shinigami to try to find him. These foes are powerful and ruthless stopping at nothing to get what they want but the problem is no one knows what they want. While Ichigo is missing Captain Hitsugaya realizes something very important. The big question on everyone's mind is where's Ichigo? Also what do these people have against Soul Society?
> 
> Pairings: Ichigo/Toshiro(main) others unknown at the moment
> 
> Warnings: None in this chapter... Ichigo bashing, slight description of wounds
> 
> Hey! I'm not dead! Awesome right! I honestly wish you could pick more than two genres for the archives because I honestly don't know what the genres should be. Right anyway, I tried to get as many as the errors as I could, I'm not perfect so just point them out and I'll get to them. So I'd like a beta as well. Anyway this takes place after the events of the anime and it sort of replaces the Quincy arc. Anyway suggestions leave them in a review! Also I'm not really sure of the rating, it may go up in later chapters. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Er... Disclaimer and Chapter? I'll see you at the bottom!
> 
> DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF BLEACH OR BLEACH ITSELF! I OWN ONLY THE PLOT AND ANY NEW CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!

Ichigo was finishing his patrols later than normal. He had been stopped by several low-level hollows, while not overly dangerous they were annoying. He landed on his window ledge and climbed into the window, his body lay across the bed, unmoving. Yet to someone merely peaking into his room it looked like he was fast asleep.

As he was just about to return to his body a large amount of reiatsu suddenly flared up. It was large enough, that even he could tell where it was coming from, though he couldn't tell anything about it. He was shunpoing through the city at a decent pace hoping to get there before the reiatsu suddenly disappeared.

Ichigo arrived at a park. He knew that he would be getting closer to the source of the reiatsu as it was getting stronger. He wondered if the owner of it was a friend or foe. He was hoping it was a friend.

As he reached the playground area he spotted at least five different figures. At first he was surprised as it seemed like it was just one big reiatsu, but now he could sense the five different pressures.

_I really need to work on my reiatsu detection. I'm sure Rukia would've known._  Ichigo thought glumly. He hadn't seen the petite shinigami in a long time. Ichigo shook his head trying to clear away the distraction.

He walked a little closer to the group, stopping only when he was at a point, should they attack, were he would be able to block said attack. He could tell one of them looked up, which one he couldn't tell who it was since the night was overcast. Someone spoke up, he assumed it was a female since he voice was high.

"Look! He came to us! Saved us a lot of trouble!" The female chirped.

Another voice cut across her. "Didn't ya here what the boss said? He's s'posed to be strong, took down that big bloke... er Kenpachi wasn't it?"

The voice that spoke was a male, he had a rough accent and a rougher way of speaking. Ichigo started to get ready for an attack, he was suspicious about the group.

"Oh? Doesn't he trust us?" The first female spoke again. Her tone mocking.

One of the figures stood up a disappeared. Seconds later it appeared in front of him. In the light that was extending out from the street light, while rather dim, he could make out the features of the person in front of him. She had pale blue hair and reddish-brown eyes. Her hair was shoulder length and fluttered in the wind, or from the speed she used to get over to him, Ichigo wasn't sure. He did recoil in shock of the sudden appearance of the girl.

"Jumpy much?" She said in a smirk that betrayed her innocent voice.

Ichigo found himself unable to respond. She took the silence as an affirmative and spoke once more. "This is what passes for captain class now?"

"Captain class? You mean you're...?" Ichigo trailed off.

"Shinigami?" The girl finished his question. "We were."  
"Were?" Ichigo asked, now that he had gotten over his initial shock, he saw the black of cloth of a shinigami uniform. There were variations to it, her hakama was cut short, so that it ended at her knees, and her sleeves ended just before her elbows. It was also tied in the back.

She let out a sigh. "Honestly you're pretty daft."

"Yuna! Be nice!" A male voice called from the group.

Yuna, as Ichigo just learned she was called, made a face. She looked at him up and down. "I can't see why we all have to be here. Listen you have two choices. One being you can come peacefully the other being we're going to force you."

Ichigo stared her up and down. He had seen the sword hanging at her hip. He had little doubt now that this group were shinigami. "What do you want?"

"I want a lot of things." Yuna shrugged. "But I assume you meant what we want here. That's easy our boss wants you."  
"Me?" Ichigo asked confused. He had thought that they were here to start something huge.

"Yes you. Boss said that he wanted you alive, and no unfixable damage done to you."

Ichigo gritted his teeth. He reached up to grab the handle of Zangetsu. Yuna saw this and frowned. "I guess we're doing this the hard way?"

Ichigo pulled Zangetsu from his place on his back. _I have no idea who these people are, but I have a bad feeling about them._ He thought.

"Oh? Already in shikai? Interesting, are you always in your first release?" Yuna asked him, she looked genuinely interested.

"What's it to you?" Ichigo asked her, he really didn't want to fight a girl. He had only drawn Zangetsu to scare her off, but it would seem that she wasn't going to budge.

Yuna shrugged. "Nothing really, I'll find out I suppose."

Ichigo was about to ask her what she meant when there was a sharp increase of her spiritual pressure. Her blade was only halfway out of her sheathe. He readied Zangetsu for her attack.

"To make this fight fair, I'll start in shikai as well." Yuna said fully drawing her sword. She ran the blade through the dirt. "Consume, Jigoku no Tsubasa!"

Her sword changed from a katana to a double-headed axe. The heads of the axe were solid black. The blades themselves curved up into sharp points and it was the same for the bottom half as well. Chains clattered apparently uselessly around the staff. Overall the axe did not look friendly.

"How do you like it?" Yuna said. The axe was slightly taller than her, but it would seem that the weight wasn't bothering her at all.

Ichigo remained quiet, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, it felt like his body was frozen. He couldn't move at all. His gaze was drawn to the axe. He saw it move towards him, he couldn't do anything to defend himself.

The axe's blade was an inch from cutting through his neck, like a knife through butter. He stared at the edge, watching the small amount of light reflecting off the dark surface.

"This is my zanpakuto's power. To send fear straight into your core, making you unable to move. It doesn't allow for much of a fight if I use the power." Yuna smiled darkly. "Then again, I like doing things the easy way."

Ichigo stared at the girl in front of him. Zangetsu was shaking slightly in his hands. He was trying to fight off the heaviness in his limbs. Then like a dam breaking he suddenly was able to leap backwards.

Yuna stared at him but not in shock, but with glee. "But a good fight is always welcome." She adjusted her grip on the staff. "Let's fight Ichigo Kurosaki!"

Seconds later the large axe was coming down on his head. Ichigo raised Zangetsu to block the attack, he managed it just in time.

"Good reflexes." Yuna swung the axe from the side this time. Ichigo leapt back and landed against something hard. He turned his head and saw a huge man grinning down at him.

Wasting no time Ichigo shunpoed off to the other side of the field. He landed and looked at the intruder to their fight. He was a well muscled man, matching Kenpachi in height, with a wider chest. His hair which was a dark brown and cropped short, he had three scars running down the right side of his head, and appeared to be missing an ear.

"Daichi! Why're you interfering?" Yuna screeched.

"We need to get this finish this as soon as possible. Those 12th division freaks are going to figure something is up with the way you've flared your reiatsu." Daichi spoke calmly.

Yuna glared at him. "I can handle it on my own!"

Ichigo watched the two with interest. He knew that his was his time to attack if any. He tightened his grip on Zangetsu and started running to where the other two stood bickering.

Yuna and Daichi both saw this. Yuna easily blocked his attacks and Daichi drew his katana, it easily sliced Ichigo, and left a deep wound running across his chest. Ichigo, leaping back, observed the damage.

_I won't get anywhere attacking them both. Their reflexes are to good to fight both at the same time._

Ichigo's reiatsu flared up. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

The large wave of solid reiatsu made its way towards Yuna and Daichi at an impressive speed. Ichigo watched as his continued on for a little while and disappeared. As the dust settled back down to the ground he saw that his opponents had both vanished.

"Where'd they go?" Ichigo asked himself.

"Behind you!" Said a voice.

Ichigo turned around in time to see Yuna slice him with the axe. The axe's blade was so sharp that it cut through his side like no problem. Ichigo stumbled back before collapsing holding his wound trying to stop the bleeding. He coughed, it was wet and he spat out the liquid that had come up with the cough. It was metallic tasting and as he looked down he saw that it was a large amount of blood.

"Opps. Got carried away." Yuna said, she didn't sound the least bit apologetic.

"Idiot. There was no need for you to release you blade. He's weak enough for you to take even if he was in his shikai." Daichi scolded.

"But I'd heard that he's super strong!" Yuna complained.

"He'll only pose a threat to us when he's in his bankai and has his hollow mask."

Ichigo's eyes widened. How do they know about my hollow mask? _Even though I can't use it anymore_. He thought glumly.

His arm that was helping to support his weight was trembling. It was slowly buckling, under the weight. When he first kneeled down it was straight, now it was the slightest bit bent and giving way fast.

"Enyo!" Daichi called out. "Get your ass over here."

Maybe it was just in his blood loss addled mind but he swore the moment that Daichi finished his sentence someone else appeared. Ichigo, his head was slightly lowered. He looked at the new set of feet. Noting numbly that there was a tattoo on the ankle of the new person. It was in the shape of the greek omega symbol. It had lines and swirls radiating out of it.

The skin the tattoo was inked on was tanner than the rest of her friends skin.. Ichigo raised his head slightly to see to whom the legs belonged to. It was certainly a very curvy body. His eyes moved up to the face. He could tell that she was foreign. Her skin was olive, her hair was black and straight which hung down to her waist, and she had dark eyes. It looked like there wasn't a single thing that could detract from her beauty. Her shihakusho was also tight, so you could see every curve of her body.

"What?" She asked Daichi. Ichigo could make out the slightest accent but he couldn't place it.

"Do your weird sword thing and make sure he doesn't die." Daichi ordered.

Enyo sent him a heated look, but with a flip of the hair she drew her sword, which was closer to that of a dagger instead of a full-sized katana. "Entrap, Suneeku Chixeen."

Her dagger shimmered brightly and in its place was a whip. It was gold in color and in closer inspection it wasn't the braided leather that made up most whips but instead it was made out of small chains.

Enyo cracked it off to the side. Ichigo supposed that it since it was a zanpakuto it would make a louder crack than a normal whip. Being so badly injured was taking its toll on his strength. When he first arrived that reiatsu that the five of them had, it wasn't that powerful but now with their pressure, with two of their number's swords released, he was having trouble staying conscious.

"Do it quick! His reiatsu is fading!" Yuna snapped. Crossing her arms and glaring at Enyo. For her part, Enyo shrugged and cracked her whip, it hit Ichigo's face. It made a cut on his cheek that slowly started to trickle blood.

The actual whip snaked around his neck, it coiled itself around him It felt like a snake was wrapping around his limbs. It was glowing brighter, and it felt like it was tying itself in knots around him. Enyo pulled the whip away and Ichigo was suddenly weighed down by something heavier, and it wasn't he body. He collapsed under the weight and heard clinking as he landed with a thud.

Looking down at his hands, the hand holding his wound was forcibly ripped away when the whip coiled around him, he saw that they were actually bound with chains.

_What the...?_  Ichigo thought.

"Kurosaki-kun!" A high-pitched voice called through the relative silence.

"Inoue-san! Stay back!" Another voice said loudly.

Ichigo felt panic blossom in his chest. His friends weren't stupid they would notice if he suddenly started to fight. They'd come check it out if they felt like something wrong as well, and if these people were powerful enough that he could sense them, then Orihime, Chad, and Ishida would no doubt recognize them and come check it out.

"How bothersome." Enyo sighed.

"They aren't a threat. Tie 'em up for now. Release 'em when we leave."

Enyo said nothing and cracked her whip once more. Ichigo couldn't see where, and his vision had started to go black from the pressure these guys were giving off. He wanted to break these chains and fight more to protect his friends but he couldn't.

He was too badly hurt and the chains were too strong. As far as he could tell the chains didn't cause any harm. They just tied you up.

Daichi bent down and hoisted Ichigo over his shoulder. "We're finished here."

The two girls nodded. Following after the bulky man. They headed back to the playground where the other two where waiting for him.

"Bloodier than I thought he'd be." Said a new voice. Ichigo couldn't guess as to whether the new speaker was male or female.

His last thought before his vision faded to black was  _'Please let everyone stay safe.'_

* * *

Ishida watched as the five figures disappeared into a type of portal that he had never seen before. It didn't match the garganta that the hollows used to goto Hueco Mundo, nor was it the senkaimon that shinigami use. It was a red-violet portal in the shape of simple door.

To him it looked like one of them looked back. He gritted his teeth. He couldn't make heads nor tails of the situation. The three that he saw were dressed in shinigami uniforms. But they were attacking Kurosaki.

When all but one of the group were in the doorway the chains that had wrapped themselves around him slackened and fell to the ground where they slowly faded out of existence.

"This is bad." He mumbled as he rubbed the red spots on his arms.

Chad nodded and Orihime looked like she was about to cry. Ishida looked around for any sign of a clue that they could use. There wasn't anything. Not even a trace of the reiatsu that belonged to the mystery people.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime sobbed. "We have to save him!"

Ishida sighed. He looked over at the two that came with him. Surprisingly it was Chad that spoke. "We need to talk to Urahara-san."

"Let's go now. The sooner we know more the better." Ishida said. Holding out a hand for Orihime to grab onto to help herself up. "I don't like this."

Orihime grabbed the outreached hand and helped herself stand up. She wiped at her eyes with her other hand. She released Ishida's hand. She attempted to make a determined face, she failed miserably but the others didn't say anything.

The three teenagers made their way to Urahara's shop. They knocked on the door and were greeted by the man himself, half his face covered by the fan he always carried with him.

"What a pleasure it is to get visitors so late at night!" Urahara's voice had its usual cheeriness.

"Sorry for disturbing you." Orihime bowed.

"No its fine. I was getting lonely anyway. Ichigo-san hasn't showed up for a while."

Urahara let the group inside and led them to the room with the round table. The teens were silent, making Urahara wonder what happened. Of course he had sensed Ichigo's reiatsu start to weaken, then it had faded to almost non-existence. He had noticed five other unfamiliar spiritual pressures in the area. A few of them had flared up just as Ichigo's was fading. He had no doubt that they were connected he just wasn't sure how.

They all sat down. Tessai had prepared tea and brought it in. He looked at Urahara, who motioned for Tessai to leave the room for the time being. It was a few minutes longer before Urahara broke the silence.

"What happened?"

The three teens looked up at him then away. Urahara sighed. "Okay, let's try this a different way. Where's Ichigo-san?"

The teenagers shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Urahara was normally a patient man, which he should be thankful for. He'd wait until they were willing to tell them, but it he would help the process along.

"I know his reiatsu was nearly gone, then it vanished. I also know there were five different signatures in the area that Ichigo's pressure vanished in. Two out of the five suddenly flared up and that's when there was a decrease in Ichigo's reiatsu." Urahara stated. "Now I need you to fill in the blanks."

Ishida set his tea down and looked at the ex-captain. "We don't know much more. As you said there were five of them, but we only saw three. The three that we saw were dressed in shinigami uniforms, and I assume they had zanpakutos, they were carrying weapons. We weren't there to see if they were released or not."

Urahara nodded for Ishida to continue. "Ichigo was severely wounded and bound by chains."

"Chains?" Urahara asked.

"Yes. But they weren't hell chains." Ishida answered the unspoken question. "Anyway, one of them had a golden whip. She cracked it at us and were were chained up similar to Ichigo. Another one of the three we saw had a doubled headed war axe, it had a strange power, it petrified you for a lack of a better word. It was dripping blood. The third we saw, his katana was dripping blood."

Urahara nodded. "The weapons don't sound familiar, and it goes without saying that Ichigo was attacked by them. But why and who are they?"

Orihime spoke up. "They also took Kurosaki-kun into this weird doorway. It was a pretty color but I couldn't tell you much more than that."

"This does not bode well for anyone. This has to be the start of something bigger." Urahara sighed. "The 12th division noticed an anomaly in Hueco Mundo. Its possible that they're connected."

"Wait how'd you know about something the 12th division discovered?" Ishida asked wearily.

Urahara laughed. "Oh! I hacked into their system."

The three teenagers looked at Urahara with apprehension. Orihime started to cry once more. Chat tried to comfort her by laying a large hand on her back. Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Regardless..." Someone new spoke up. A black cat jumped onto the table. " Soul Society needs to be informed."

"Yoruichi is absolutely correct." Urahara nodded. "But the question is how are we going to get their attention?"

The cat on the table stood up as tall as it could go. "Leave that to me. I just need you to get me to Soul Society."

Urahara nodded. Standing up, he motioned to be followed. His clogs clicking against the floor as he went. Yoruichi leapt off of the table and followed after the candy store owner. The teens each stood up and went after the adults.

They reached the underground trained area. Urahara went to work getting ready to open a senkaimon. Yoruichi had shifted into her human self and was finishing getting dressed.

A few minutes later and there was a group sending the flash-goddess off. She nodded to Urahara. With a wave to the teenagers she leapt through the senkaimon. Urahara turned to Ichigo's friends.

"Now, how about we try and figure out who those mysterious shinigami are." With a clap of his hand he started to head to the ladder.

Orihime looked between Chad and Ishida before following after the ex-captain. Chad followed soon after her. Ishida remained in his spot, he watched the senkaimon close and slowly start to disappear. He pushed his glasses up once more.  _Kurosaki, what have you gotten yourself into._

 


	2. The Search Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title says it all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairings: No new ones arrive... still mainly Toshiro and Ichigo
> 
> Warnings: Ehehehe, nothing worth warning about happens
> 
> Second chapter here! I hope that the second chapter is good/better than the first. Its pretty awesome to actually update on time! Well I've rambled on enough for the moment. I'll give you this disclaimer and then you can read! See you at the bottom!  
> DISCLAIMER I DON'T OWN BLEACH OR BLEACH CHARACTERS I ONLY OWN THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE NOW.

Yoruichi ran through the Dangai at fast pace. Easily keeping ahead of the cleaner. Soon enough she was reaching the point she was suppose to leave from. There was a small square of light a few meters ahead of her. She leapt through it once she was close enough.

She appeared a good distance from the ground. She shunpoed to the nearest building landing gracefully. "Alright. Now first thing first, I need to learn when the next captain meeting is."

Yoruichi figured that she could of course go to the head captain and have him call for a meeting but that would take a large amount of time, unless of course there wasn't going to be a meeting for a while. She shupoed to the first division barracks.

She headed towards the head-captains office. As she neared there she saw that the meeting hall doors were closed. She moved off to the doors. Inside she heard a low muttering.

"Oh?" Yoruichi hummed. "Am I that lucky?"

She quickly crossed to the upper levels of the first division. She found the area where she could peer into the room and see if there was a meeting taking place without being detected. She had found this awhile back, when she used to be captain of the 2nd.

Inside the ten remaining captains stood in their designated spots. There were still gaps in between where the traitorous captains used to stand and where the captains stood. The Head Captain was rambling about the overall running of Seireitei. Several of the captains wore serious expression, the other captains just looked bored or distracted.

They were nearing the end of the meeting and the captains could tell that they were. As there was more stirring around the group. Just as the Head Captain was about bang his staff down Yoruichi appeared in the meeting hall.

A murmur of surprise ran through the crowd at the Flash-Goddess's sudden, and seemingly random, appearance. The Head-Captain even opened his eyes in a mild surprise.

"Yoruichi Shihoin." The Head Captain mumbled.

"Head Captain." Yoruichi inclined her head to Yamamoto.

"What are you doing here, Yoruichi?" Captain Kyoraku asked politely.

"I come with news from the world of the living." She stated plainly.

"We get that back at the division. Nothing you need to report." Captain Kurotsuchi grumbled.

"Eh? But how would you get reports if your here?" Yoruichi inclined her head. "Besides would you even tell them of your discovery or write it off as not major?"

Seeming to not here the question the 12th division captain remained quiet. Yoruichi huffed in satisfaction.

"What news do you bring?" Head Captain Yamamoto asked the former second division captain.

"As of about two hours ago, five strange spiritual pressures appeared in Karakura town. The Substitute Shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki engaged the owners of the pressure. As of an hour ago Ichigo Kurosaki's reiatsu disappeared completely."

There was a ripple of noise between the captains. As well as slightly surprised looks, and maybe a concerned one from Captain Ukitake.

"Disappeared?" The Fourth Division Captain asked.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yes. It was gradually weakening but it suddenly vanished. From what Ichigo's friends described, it would seem that a band of renegade shinigami are behind this. He was also badly hurt, he must've been barely conscious or unconscious when his friends arrived."

"You said that Kurosaki's reiatsu disappeared. Is it safe to assume that he perished?" The small Captain of the Tenth asked.

"No. Ichigo's friends seem to claim that while badly injured he was still alive." Yoruichi was facing the prodigy. "But then by that report it doesn't mean that he's alive either."

There was another ripple of noise. It seemed that most of the captains were in a sound mind that it would be a shame if the substitute perished. Yamamoto banged his staff down to signal for quiet.

"Why do Kurosaki's friends think that it was in fact a group shinigami?" Yamamoto addressed Yoruichi.

The female in question cleared her throat. "They were wearing clothes that cannot by called anything but the shinigami uniforms. There is also a very large possibility they were wielding zanpakutos. But they aren't any that I'm familiar with."

The captains were silent for this fact. Yoruichi smiled to herself. She was actually doing a favor to Kisuke. "Captain Kurostuchi, you look like you have something to say?"

The captain in question sent the Flash Goddess a glare. The other captains turned to look at him as well.

Kurostuchi gave what seemed like an annoyed sigh. "My division recently stumbled across a anomaly in Hueco Mundo. After scanning it, it didn't appear dangerous. My squad is studying it further to determine what it is exactly."

The rest of the captains shared a look but didn't seem like they were that surprised. Yoruichi crossed her arms.  _Of course they could be connected or maybe its a coincidence. Hopefully they'll help us find Ichigo._

Yamamoto banged his staff. "Captain Kurostuchi, I want you reporting anything you know about the anomaly. Captain Hitsugaya take yourself and a few other high ranked shinigami and go with Yoruichi to the world of the living and see what you can find there."

There were nods from the two captains who received orders. "Meeting adjourned. Yoruichi, stay here for a moment."

The captains slowly filed out. Soon the only two left in the room were the Head Captain and Yoruichi herself.

"Head Captain?"

"I am only doing this because this could threaten the Soul Society, and we owe Kurosaki that much."

"Sir? If I may ask a question?" Yoruichi asked a nervous waver in her voice. There was a nod of confirmation from the old man. "Why Captain Hitsugaya?"

"I have a feeling it'd be better for him to do something than just sit around waiting for any form of news. Its bad for morale when the Captain is looking like he's about to bite off the head of whoever approaches him."

Yoruichi nodded. Satisfied with the answer. Yamamoto seemed not have anything more to say so the Head of the Shuhoin clan turned to leave. She made it to the door and passed through without interruption.

As she was exiting the meeting room she was stopped by the all too icy Captain of the Tenth. "Captain."

Toshiro seemed to lose what he was about to say, his mouth opening and closing for a few seconds before he uttered out a "We're leaving first thing tomorrow."

With that the prodigy turned and left. After all he had to get a small squad ready. It wasn't a question on who he was going to bring but if their captains would allow them to go.

He steeled himself as he shunpoed to the Eleventh Division. As he expected Captain Zaraki was sitting out on the porch watching a few of his squad members duel one another before turning in.

His third and fifth seat were sitting next to him, the former in the middle of being attacked by the excitable eleventh squad Vice-Captain. The fifth seat seemed to be watching with amusement.

The four of them noticed his approach at the same time. "Hey its Captain Whitey!" The pink haired girl chirped. Toshiro briefly wonder when she had gotten the cross bone hair clips. Though he was quickly annoyed as he realized that he had been called that annoying nickname she gave him.

"Wha' brings ya here?" Captain Zaraki asked him.

Ikkaku took advantage of the fact that his Vice-Captain was no longer attacking him. He wiped off the drool that coated his bald head while Yumichika gently scolded Yachiru about biting people's heads.

"Captain Zaraki I have a request." The white haired boy stated.

Zaraki snorted. "Ya wan' ta borrow a few of my squad members righ'?"

Torshiro looked slightly abashed and was about to speak when Zaraki cut him off. "Ya probably want Ikkaku and Yumichika."

Toshiro was honestly surprised that the bulky captain knew what he was going to ask before he did. Though he suspected that it was because they were searching of Kurosaki that he'd get those most familiar with the teen. Toshiro simply nodded.

"Fine by me." Zaraki stated. "Ask 'em if they want to go."  
Just as Toshiro was about to ask he was cut off once more. This time by the loud third seat. "Hell yeah I'm going! What about you, Yumi?"

Yumichika looked at the bald man and laughed slightly. "Was there a doubt that I wouldn't go?"

"I didn't think you'd say no I was just being polite and not assuming things like you told me to!"

"Sometime you can assume things. Especially if it involves going to the World of the Living. Someone has to make sure you stay on target."

Ikkaku was about to retort, and Toshiro sighed. He hadn't even told them the mission yet. That was the eleventh for you act first and never think. "We leave first thing tomorrow morning. Don't be late."

The two eleventh members nodded. Toshiro said his farewells as he left the eleventh division. He sighed, he turned towards the thirteenth division. Two down, two to go. After a fairly short walk he made it to the thirteenths barracks.

Captain Ukitake was walking around his garden and his faithful Vice-Captain was walking behind him. They appeared to be in the middle of a conversation. Toshiro approached slowly not wanting to disturb them.

"Captain Hitsugaya." Captain Ukitake smiled pleasantly.

The raven haired shinigami inclined his head towards the icy captain. Since it appeared that Rukia wasn't trying to strangle anyone at the moment it would seem that she hadn't heard the news yet.

Toshiro silently thanked the sickly captain. Otherwise he'd have hell to pay from the small shinigami if he didn't take her.

"Captain Ukitake. I would like to request to borrow Vice Captain Kuchiki for my mission in the real world." Toshiro politely requested.

Ukitake turned to face his Vice Captain. "Well do you want to go?"

Rukia looked startled at being addressed by her captain so suddenly. "Captain Hitsugaya where would we be in the human world?"

"Karakura Town." The young captain answered without hesitation.

Rukia looked happy at that fact. "May I?"

Ukitake smiled. "I asked you if you wanted to go. So if you do then you have my permission. Captain Hitsugaya, you may borrow my Vice-Captain."

Toshiro nodded. The older shinigami left the two of them alone. Rukia raised a questioning eyebrow at him.  
"You'll get the mission details tomorrow." Toshiro stated.

"Figured. Who else it going?" She crossed her arms.

"Madarame-san and Ayasegawa-san. Hopefully Captain Kuchiki will allow me to borrow Vice-Captain Abarai. Of course my Vice-Captain will be joining us as well."

Rukia nodded. Then pursed her lips. "Must be a tough mission for so many high ranking seats."

"You have no idea." Toshiro sighed.

Rukia eyed him trying to get any detail out of him. But the frosty captain wasn't giving anything away. Having no more questions. She turned to leave. "Brother will let you have Renji. If its in Karakura town, Renji will get to go because he knows the area. Plus I'm going."

Toshiro nodded. "Captain Kuchiki also knows the mission and heard the report."

Rukia shot him a confused look but said nothing. She returned into the thirteenth's barracks. Toshiro was left alone. He groaned.  _How the hell did you get in this situation Kurosaki?_

The white haired captain figured he'd walk to the sixth's barracks. Not wanting to surprise the haughty nobleman. Toshiro thought back to the captain's meeting. When Yoruichi had said that Ichigo's reiatsu disappeared he felt his chest constrict in panic and he had to ask if Kurosaki was dead. He felt hope when she said that he wasn't dead but they didn't know if he was alive.

How strong were these people if they could bring Kurosaki to his knees so quickly and by that amount. He was nearing the sixth division's barracks where he could feel Vice-Captain Abarai's reiatsu surge.  _He must be practicing._

He walked in to the grounds to see that he was correct. Abarai was in shikai and panting. The head of the Kuchiki clan was watching his Vice-Captain with little interest. He turned his head when he felt the icy reiatsu of the tenth's captain.

"Captain Kuchiki-" Toshiro was cut off.

"I already assumed that you'd be asking." He turned to where his Vice-Captain was destroying targets. "Vice Captain Abarai come here."

The red-haired shinigami quickly strode over to him as he sheathed his sword.

"Yes Captain?" Renji asked once he was standing a few feet from the two captains.

"You'll be accompanying Captain Hitsugaya on a mission." The nobleman said.

"Er... Okay." Renji said dumbfounded. "Captain Hitsugaya?"

"We leave first thing tomorrow. You'll receive your mission details then."

Renji blinked. "Sure."

Toshiro turned and walked away. Now all he had to do was order his slacker of a Vice-Captain to come along with him. Not that she wouldn't if he didn't order her, he still needed to get some respect back after being cut off so many times in the space of an hour.

As he walked through the Tenth's gates he noticed that the atmosphere was more lax that it was when had left this morning. With a certain knowing he headed towards the office he shared with his Vice-Captain.

Waking into the office he felt a vein pop as he saw how disorganized it was. "MATSUMOTO!"

There was a rustling over by the couch and his Vice-Captain popped up from behind it. "Captain, why're you yelling?"

"Why do you think?"

"I don't know that's why I asked you." She said tiredly.

"You're drunk." Matsumoto was about to deny it when Toshiro cut her off. "We have a mission. Be ready early tomorrow. We're going to the world of the living."

"Why?" Matsumoto asked. She sensed that there was something wrong with her Captain when he walked in so she thought that she'd try to improve his mood but that plan failed miserably.

Toshiro debated with himself. He guessed that telling her wouldn't be a problem. He didn't tell the others because he didn't want the eleventh squad members to be the only ones not to know and he figured that it would motivate them once they were in the world of the living instead of stewing over it all night. Plus he wasn't sure of all the detail himself so he was going to explain the best he could. It ultimately landed on Yoruichi and Urahara-san to tell them what really happened. Powers of the "shinigami" and other details that Yoruichi didn't say during the meeting.

Still, telling his Vice-Captain was his job, and she wouldn't act rashly at the news. "Kurosaki is missing."

"Eh? No way!" The strawberry blonde's eyes widened.

"Yes. He was kidnapped by some group that look like shinigami and have weapons like our zanpakuto. They may be renegades but at the moment we aren't sure."  
"What was Ichigo-kun's condition last time he was seen?" Matsumoto asked, her eyes worried. She had grown fond of the boy during her time staying in the World of the Living, and also he avenged Gin's death so he had grown on her.

"According to Ichigo's friends. Bad." Toshiro sat down behind his desk. "They said he was barely conscious or already unconscious. They couldn't tell what type of wounds he had. Yoruichi said that before his reiatsu vanished it was nearly gone."

"It vanished?"

"Because he was no longer in his range. That's what we're assuming. We're treating it as he's alive, but going in with the possibility that he will be found dead." Toshiro said. It pained him to think that Ichigo was dead.

He couldn't imagine those intense brown eyes no longer looking at him. Or how they looked when he was focused or fighting. Toshiro would miss the satisfaction of being able to pick Kurosaki out of crowd because of his hair.

Toshiro shook his head. He needed to not think those things. They were weird for an acquaintance, or possibly friend he wasn't sure, to think anyhow.

Matsumoto noticed this and stood up. She walked over to her Captain, she laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "Don't worry we'll do everything we can to find him."  _'And to bring him back alive._ Went unspoken.

"I know you will, plus we have the other members of the team to help." Toshiro said.

"Others?"

"Madarame-san, Ayasegawa-san. Vice-Captains Kuchiki and Abarai."

Rangiku smiled. There was no doubt about the level of loyalty the team had. Rukia and Renji were close friends of Ichigo. Ikkaku and Yumichika had this weird thing with the orange-haired team, respect she supposed, though it could be because their captain likes to use Ichigo as a energy release when he needs a good fight.

_The next morning._

Toshiro and Rangiku stood side by side waiting for the members of their team to show up. As expected Rukia was the first one to show up. She grumbled something about "incompetent fools who needed to learn how to tell time."

Renji showed up next. Grinning when he saw that Rukia was in the team as well. After waiting thirty more minutes. To which the prodigy's mood got steadily worse the last two members showed up.

Ikkaku and Yumichika walked up to the rest of the group. Ikkaku was still rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "Good morning Captain Hitsugaya." Yumichika greeted cheerfully.

It was a wonder how the fifth seat of the eleventh squad could always be in such a good mood in the morning. Even when most of the eleventh had hangovers or were waking up sore. It was a mystery but everyone accepted in as Yumichika being Yumichika.

"So what's the mission?" Rukia's arms were crossed.

"We're waiting for Yoruichi Shihoin." Toshiro stated.

The Flash Goddess appeared just as her name was spoken. "I'm here."

Toshiro nodded and the rest of the group gave various greetings. The purple haired woman spoke after the group quieted down. "You'll know when we get to Urahara's shop. I don't know that much myself, plus there might be new developments since last night."

The group was silent. Wondering what was going on exactly. But as they waited for the gate to open Yoruichi spoke once more. "Though the one thing that I know for certain is Ichigo is in trouble, and we're going to rescue him."

There was a dead silence. You could here the rest of the divisions start to get up for the day. The sounds of daily life continued but for the small group it seemed that time stopped.

"Ichigo is in trouble?" Rukia asked, to shocked to say much else.

"Very big trouble by the looks of it. It could be worse for us."

"How?" Renji asked.

"As I said Urahara knows more than either me or Captain Hitsugaya." Yoruichi said. "But Ichigo was attacked. From what his friends said, in critical condition, and then he was kidnapped."

Another silence overtook the group. Before Ikkaku spoke up. "What did they sneak up on him and surprise him? There's no way in hell that he would go down otherwise."

"No, they attacked him head on." Yoruichi answered. "I think Ishida said later that there were maybe two wounds on Ichigo."

"Two?" Yumichika cried. "He went down in two hits?"

The senkaimon doors opened up. The group of shinigami remained still. The impact of what they had just learned was still being absorbed.  _Only two hits?_ Was the thought of the majority of the group.

"Come on! Its our turn to save Ichigo!" It was Renji who spoke up. He had a determined glint in his eyes. The others soon mirrored the look.

Yoruichi nodded in approval and Toshiro allowed himself a smile that was barely there.  _Its our turn Kurosaki._ This reminded him of the time that all of the captain that were able to fight stood in front of the substitute in order to make sure he wouldn't see Aizen's sword, so that they would have a fighting chance.

The group leapt into the Dangai. While they didn't have to run because they had hell butterflies they didn't want to waste anymore time. They reached the point where they were supposed to get out.

The seven of them soon found themselves in Urahara's underground training facility. Urahara was standing there. At first they thought it was to greet them and try to distract them from their goal.

Instead the Urahara in front of them was very grim looking. There was no trace of any of his usual cheeriness. Looking past him they saw the equally grim faces of Ishida, Chad, and Tessai, they also saw Orihime looking like she was about to cry, again by the redness of her eyes.

"Wha-?" Toshiro began.

"We have very bad news." Urahara simply said.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom! Cliffy! Sorry, I know a lot of people don't like ciffhangers. Oh well. As always leave your review below with you thoughts, it doesn't have to be deep and meaningful. Suggestions? Like last time leave them in the reviews or PM! Now to Chapter 3! Later! ~IF


	3. Danger, Despair, and a Snowstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Refer to title

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Slightly graphic descriptions of injuries. They'll get worse as the story progresses.
> 
> Welcome to the third installment of To Save the Savior! I'm glad to see you again! I've clearly seen you before if you've read two other chapters! So Disclaimer then chapter? You guessed it! See you at the bottom.  
> DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN ONLY THE PLOT AND THE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

The group of shinigami were lead to the usual meeting area, the room with the round table. There was tea already sitting out. The silence that had taken over the usually loud and boisterous group, was heavy with worry.

They sat around, for perhaps ten minutes and there was not a sound uttered in that time. Soon Urahara let out a long sigh. It startled several people out of their reprieves. Seven pairs of eye turned to focus on the ex-captain.

Ichigo's three friends kept their eyes downcast. Urahara spoke. "Based on what Ishida, Chad, and Orihime said I went into the archives that I have available to me and looked for shinigami that matched the descriptions with those weapons."

"And?" Toshiro prompted.

"The wasn't anything on them. But I did stumble upon an article from long ago talking about a rebel shinigami that had a sword that didn't have powers associated with shinigami and he was using them for purposes that weren't exactly smiled upon."

There was a stirring among the group, they weren't sure where they were going. "It would appear that this shinigami knew that their zanpakuto didn't have a power that would be considered acceptable so it remained a secret until a shinigami revealed it to one of the higher ups at the time."

"So why did they go after Ichigo?" Renji asked Urahara.

Urahara paused before he answered. "I don't know. However the zanpakuto's power was deadly, and it its wielder had long since fallen from the light."

The group nodded solemnly, before they fell into another awkward silence Toshiro spoke up. "We should get started investigating. It won't do just going off speculations."

Urahara nodded. "I'll have Ishida lead you to where Ichigo was attacked."

The young Quincy looked surprised that he would be asked to lead them being the least aquatinted with the shinigami. He regain his composure and stood up. "Come on." He said.

The group stood up and said their farewells. Yoruichi stayed behind, her job was finished. She looked and Urahara. Her arms crossed. "You didn't tell them everything."

"Oh? Could you tell?" Urahara asked slowly regaining his cheerful composure.

"I can always tell when you're holding something back. You always have an air about you when you do that and you hesitated."

"I did. But that's because I don't want to worry them with things that may not come to pass. Its more of a guess than anything."

Yoruichi nodded. She knew that Urahara had a fondness for the young orange-haired teen, so it made sense that he was worried about the boy. She watched the retreating backs of the six shinigami.

"You think they'll find something?" Yoruichi spoke long after the small group had left.

"I hope so." Urahara said seriously.

* * *

Ichigo slowly came into consciousness. Groaning as he felt pain corse through his body. The worse areas that he was able to pin point was across his chest and on his side. After getting over the initial shock of the overwhelming pain he realized that he was laying on something smooth, hard, and cold.

He also felt a chill run through the top half of his body. Cracking open one of his eyes he saw that he was in a poorly lit room, poorly lit cell, he amended once he saw that there was only one door, and that it looked to be solid steel. There was a glow radiating outside the door.

Glancing around he saw no possible ways to escape. He sighed but winced as he caused pain to ripple through his chest. He attempted to push himself up, grunting with the effort and discomfort as his injuries were tugged on.

The chill was waining as he began to move, yet it was still there. Ichigo decided that the chill was unnatural. He looked down at his chest noticing that he was given more restricted movement than he would have with having only a gash across his chest.

To his surprise someone had taken the time to bind his wounds. Judging by how tight the bandages were, someone knew what they were doing. Ichigo could tell that these were older bandages as the red that welled up to the surface as it had turned the russet color of dried blood.

From somewhere in hall he could here a muffled voice. "I here groaning. Enyo go see if he's awake."

There was the soft clicking as someone walked down the hallway. It was echoing badly so he couldn't judge the distance they were from the door. He saw the eye hatch slide open and the it was followed by the sound of a bolt being slid out of its place.

The door was shoved open it scraping across the floor. Ichigo grimaced at the sound, it was worse than nails on a chalk board and he was pretty sure he saw a spark or two.

Standing in the door way was a recognizable figure. It was certainly the Enyo he remembered, she looked more casual but more done up at the same time. He hair was braided into a circlet and she was wearing what looked to be a dress you would see in paintings of the greek goddesses.

The light was shadowing her face so he couldn't read her expression but he could guess it in her words. "You're awake already? A normal shinigami would be out for at least another day or two."

Ichigo looked up at her, trying to muster all the venom in his voice he could. "Sorry to disappoint."

Enyo took a step closer. "On the contrary, you waking up so soon allows us to precede with our plans sooner."

The Grecian girl stepped back out of the room. " Well he is awake."

"Let's take him to the king." There really was a lot of echoing in the hallway, it was annoying Ichigo decided.

Enyo waved her hands and two humanoid figures appeared. They had no distinct features, and were little more than simple shadows. They hefted him up, ignoring the fact that he was severely wounded.

Between the two shadow people Ichigo was dragged unceremoniously to an unknown destination. He passed the owner of the second voice. He should've guessed that it was Daichi. Daichi, grinned evilly at him.

Enyo walked behind him, Daichi fell in step with her. The effort from keeping his head up was tiring Ichigo out.  _I must be hurt worse than I originally thought._ The shadow's were oblivious to his waining consciousness. They dragged him along like a sack of potatoes. Ichigo wondered how far they were from this "King" guy. Thinking back on it Daichi and Yuna had both said something about the boss but Enyo was talking about the king. Were they the same person?

* * *

Ichigo wondered if at some point he blacked out, because at the moment he was shoved to the ground in a position that was resembling a bow. The shadow people dissipated.

He lifted his head the tiniest of a fraction. He was in a grand room. The ceilings were arched and the black stone which had coated many of the wall was continued through here. There was a large window directly in front of him. The light that was shining through the panes was bright. It illuminated the entirety of the room.

Squinting his eye Ichigo could make out something disrupting the light. It was large and it resembled a throne. Something was hanging off to the side that looked like legs? There wasn't much else he could do aside from continue to look at the shadowed mass. At some point he had been chained. He was pretty sure it came from Enyo's zanpakuto.

The legs moved and disappeared and the next thing he new a slim figure had manifested itself next to it.  
"So this is the Kurosaki boy?" The slim figure asked. The authority and power behind the voice rivaled the Head Captain's.

"Yes, milord." Daichi answered with a clumsy bow, it was more of a medieval sweeping bow than the traditional ones that the Japanese preformed.

"He's younger than I would've guess." The figure whirled, so now it was facing them instead of listing from the side. "Of course it makes it easier for us to retrieve our prize."

The figure practically glided towards them. Ichigo had little doubt now that this was in fact the leader that these people were following. As it approached Ichigo could start to see that the form was more male that female.

"Close the windows. I want him to get a good look at me." The order was complete with in a heartbeat of the sentence being completed.

With the windows closed the room was lit by only the light trickling through the cracks in the blinds and torches that at some point had been lit. Ichigo blinked several times trying to readjust his eyes to the lack of light. Once his eyes were semi adjusted he could make out the figure now.

It was a very slim man. His skin was pale, almost white. His black hair was barely touching his shoulders. The torches made his red eyes burn even more fiercely. His lips were curled back to reveal a pointed grin.

"How nice it is to finally meet you." The man bent down, he was scarcely an inch away.

Ichigo tried to lean away from the man. He smelled to sweet for it to be natural but he found that he was unable to move.

"I suppose it wouldn't be odd for you to be completely untrusting of us. I mean my subordinates nearly killed you, and I assume didn't give you any explanation." The man sighed.

The subordinates in question seemed to shrink back in shock. The two that Ichigo hadn't seen that night, remained standing tall, as they had complacent smile on their faces. Now that there was light he got a better look at the two others that were in the park. With a strangled noise it dawned on Ichigo that he had no idea how much time had past between them meeting and him waking up.

The king looked at him amused. Thinking that he was attempting so say something. Ichigo tried to glare diffidently at the self-serving smirk on the guy's face. He struggled against the invisible bonds.

The man sent out a wave of reiatsu that nearly suffocated Ichigo in his weakened state. "We can't have you struggling now can we."

Ichigo felt the coldness return and start to wrap around his heart. He was dreading what these guys would do to him. "Listen up. I'll tell you about us. Since you're a guest of ours a little information can't hurt."

"As you've probably already guessed we are shinigami, well were." He chuckled. "Powerful ones at that. All of us were seated officers in our squad before some circumstance forced us out."

The man straightened and was pacing in front of Ichigo. "Enyo's was that she joined the Shadow Society, a group dealing with the shadow's of peoples former selves. Yamamoto wasn't to pleased with that and threatened to lock her up for insubordination. Yuna struck up a deal with demons. I'm sure you've seen her shikai. It was changed after she dealt with them she's got demon's speed and strength. She left Soul Society before they could find out what she did. Daichi's is simple he left because they betrayed him."

The man took a breath. "The other two and I have similar reasons of leaving. We were pressured into quitting. Our zanpakuto weren't good! So one has the ability to use cero! Another when it cuts you, you bleed until he's killed or you are, the cuts can't be healed. Mine? Well Aizen's little Zanpakuto, the hypnosis type? Its nothing more than a party trick compared to mine."

Ichigo was a little more than startled, though he wasn't showing it. Whoever these guys were, they weren't like anyone he's face before. There was just something about them. Aizen was strong. But with Aizen there was something that was still somewhat  _human_ about him, he was acting out because he believed he was destined for greatness. With this bunch all he got was that they were doing this because they wanted to.

"Are you wondering what my power is?" The man asked him. Ichigo wanted to yell at him to let him go, and fight him like a man not a coward but of course it felt like his voice was stuck in his throat.

"Its simple really." The king drew his sword. "That fool's sword had a weakness, all you had to do was touch it and you were immune. I saw what happened and heard Gin talk about it. Mine is an easy thing to figure out but its a pain to try and break, literally."

The sword flashed into a slightly bigger blade, it was reflective and alluring. "You see mine gives me control over your entire body, and if I want, your thoughts. Enyo release the chains."

Ichigo felt the tightness that was binding his body suddenly disappear. Then the sword was pointing at his chest. It plunged right where his heart would be. Instead of the the pain that should come with being stabbed a warmth was radiating from his chest and it was slowly spreading.

He looked up at the wielder of the blade. The man was blanked face, he met Ichigo's eyes. The warmth reached his arms and legs. Then against his will he found himself standing up. His jaw was remaining stubbornly shut.

"See?"

With a flick of his wrist Ichigo was sent stumbling foreword into the room. He was walking awkwardly towards a table at the far end of the room. As he got closer he could see that there was a knife. He tried to fight for control of his limbs, finding that struggling was useless.

He stood at the table. His arm started to reach towards it. With widening eyes he resumed his struggle, this time a lot more fiercer. It was still mostly useless, the most that he accomplished was that he could twitch his pinky, but that was only when he used all of his reiatsu. His hand wrapped around the hilt of the knife.

The cool steel bit at his skin. Once his hand had a firm hold on the blade he brought it to his chest. His other hand wrapping around it, overlapping the original hand on it. It was aimed straight for his throat.

He felt a stirring at the back of his head, it was a presence that he hadn't felt since he got his shinigami powers back. It wasn't particularly welcomed but there wasn't much he was able to do.

The blade was moving closer to his throat now. He felt himself blackout as the blade jerked swiftly to his throat. When he came to, maybe a second later, he saw that the knife had been impaled into his shoulder as well and the warmth was receding from his limbs.

"Very good. That is truly who we've been looking for." The king had drawn closer to him. "Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Sachio Hayashi."

Ichigo stared at him. While he may have not been the smartest person in the world, Ichigo was still struggling with trying to find the motive behind these people.

"You should know that this is nothing personal." Sachio smiled, but his eyes told a different story. This was personal, and very much so.

Sachio turned his head and motioned for the two men that Ichigo had yet to be introduced to. "Masao, Tadashi, make sure he's comfortable."

The stress on the last word, made it sound like that it wasn't going to be a very comfortable stay for Ichigo. He had no choice but to be dragged off with the two men. One of them, he had blond hair that he pulled back into the tiniest of ponytails, and the bluest eyes Ichigo had ever seen. The other man, he had flaming red hair that was spiked at the front but the sides of his head were short. He had intense green eyes, he also had gauges in his ears.

Between the two of them they hoisted Ichigo in the middle. They headed off down a different corridor. They made so may twists and turns that he couldn't keep track of where they had turned left and where they had turned right. Once again the echoing was throwing off his sound perception, making him dizzy and lose his sense of direction. Ichigo found himself thinking that they made it this way so that their prisoner would get disoriented running around trying to force their way out.

Ichigo's ears popped indicating that they were going lower, at a gentle slope, but still lower. After several more moments after walking they came to a heavy looking door. It was similar to the one he had previously, but it wasn't the same, as this one had a bar that went across it, as well as a keyhole. The red haired man shove him into the blond man and walked open to the door muttering an incantation.

The door swung open, with a louder screeching sound than the one in Ichigo's previous cell, this time he did see several sparks and the scrape marks from the doors travel. The man who had opened the door grabbed Ichigo's other arm and finished dragging him into the room.

He was forcibly flung to the floor, for the second time in one day. The door shut behind the two men, he thought that he saw Yuna appear in the hallway just as the door clicked shut.

Both men eyed the poor boy with a sadistic delight in their eyes. The red hair man pulled out his sword. He eyed the young teen. "Lacerate,Muketsu!

The blade turned into a short dagger with sharp looking edges. It wasn't radiating that much power, and it was small so it wouldn't be that useful in a battle between it and Zangetsu, but something told Ichigo that it wasn't meant as a fighting weapon.

"Small isn't she?" The main spoke in very choppy words, making it evident that he wasn't used to the delicate language of Japanese. He was from one of the more heavily accented nations, maybe Scotland? Ichigo pondered.

"She's isn't much on fighting, but she's a devil in her own way." He twirled the dagger called Muketsu in his had.

He bent down to cut off Ichigo's bandages, using his dagger he accidentally nicked Ichigo lightly. Where it should've been the barest of cuts, it shouldn't have even drawn blood, was a small trickle of crimson being pulled down by gravity. His eyes widened. He wracked his brain for what Sachio had said about these guy's zanpakuto.

"Ah damn. Spoiled the surprise with that little bugger of a cut." The man said yanking off the old bandages. Then the dagger that was still in his shoulder. Ichigo looked at it in surprise, it had been in there the entire time. He looked at where it had been imbedded, it was turning a sickly green color.

"Looks like the poison is spreading." The wielder of Muketsu remarked.

"It is. Let us leave Tadashi, we need to let the poison do its job before we can do ours." The man who must be Masao spoke.

Tadashi sighed. "Aye."

"Don't worry you'll have your fun." Masao grinned devilishly.

"Can't I cut him at least once, let his see my power first hand?" Tadashi tilted his head.

"Do what you will. Just don't kill him."

Tadashi nodded. He bent down and yanked on Ichigo's good arm stretching it outwards. Tadashi proceeded to plunge the dagger into his shoulder and drug it down three inches or so, the ripped it out.

Ichigo yowled in pain. He looked over to see that a fair amount of blood was already welling up into the wound. Tadashi wore a content smile on his face as he wiped away the crimson liquid off of his blade. Then Tadashi sheathed his blade and turned to walk out of the cell. Masao followed behind him. The door slammed shut once more. Leaving Ichigo bathed in almost pitch blackness.

There was somehow the barest amount of light in the room with no distinct light source. He crawled over to a wall finding that it was to much effort to try and stand up and walk. He gritted his teeth as small bits of debris and pebbles scraped against his wounds on his stomach. He was grateful when he reached the wall. Shoving himself up with as much strength as he could muster, which wasn't a lot, had flipped himself over with his shoulders and head supported against the wall. He was already wheezing with each breath he took. He chalked that up to him being poisoned.

He looked over to where he had been stabbed the wound showed no signs of stopping its flow but it wasn't as bad as it had been. It stung terribly and the feeling of the sticky blood slicking his arm was disgusting, but sadly it was familiar.

Ichigo wasn't sure how long he had been laying in his awkward position before he felt a cold sweat break out, mingling with his blood. He could only imagine what he smelled like, he was pretty sure it would be revolting.

He closed his eyes, his body convulsed and pain tore through his body with a ferocity that he didn't know could exist. The poison was taking its toll on his body but it didn't seem to be harming him. Instead it was making him hyperalert to every sensation that assaulted his body. Like the stone that was rough a poking out slightly into his neck, while most of the time he wouldn't even feel it, at the moment it was like being pricked with a thin needle repeatedly. Those wounds that he received however long ago, he still didn't have a timeline, weren't close to being healed and the one that went through his side felt like it was on fire, and with even the slightest movements in felt like someone was digging their fingernails into the exposed muscle and scratching a the tender flesh.

His heart beat was raised, and he was truly scared, maybe not for the first time in his life, he had been afraid plenty of times, but this was different. Those times he was able to do something, like fight and argue. Now he was afraid and he was unable to do something, most of the time he couldn't even speak. He supposed that was difference, the times he was afraid before he considered himself to be strong, yet here in this dungeon, he was utterly weak, he couldn't even speak out against his captors because talking took more energy that he had at the moment.

Soon his lack of energy conquered his want to stay up and be on guard. He fell into an unrestful sleep. In his dream he was surrounding by crushing darkness he was unable to move. As he looked around he looked up and there was a flash of something it looked like eyes, that were yellow, they disappeared as briefly as they came and the darkness converged on him. Strangling him until he was no longer able to breath, trying to crush every single last shred of hope he had.

Ichigo awoke gasping for air. He looked around and still found himself in his poorly lit cage. His head was pounding, his throat scratchy, everything was screaming in pain, and he was terrified. He did his best to curl unto himself. He knew he wouldn't act like this under normal circumstances. But he didn't know who these people were, what they wanted with him, and they were screwing with him. Physically and mentally.

He did something that he hated doing, he felt like it made people see him as weak. A strangled sob tore from his throat. His situation was so full of despair he couldn't imagine how badly it was raining in his inner world. Trying to pull himself into a tighter ball, he winced and groaned at every movement, he moved his lips but no sound came out. He was uttering something though. His lips framed the words.

_'Somebody save me. Doesn't anyone want to protect me as I've done them a dozen times over?'_

He knew it seemed childish and selfish but he couldn't help it. It wasn't like he wanted his friends to fight these guys to save him, in fact he knew that once his friends found out he was missing there was no doubt in Ichigo's mind that they were going to do everything they could to find him. He merely uttered those words to give him more hope. They were something he could believe in. That somebody _will_ save him. That somebody  _wants_ to protect him.

This time when sleep overtook him, it truly was sleep. It was serene, and he enjoyed it fully. He would need every ounce of sleep and he'd have to muster every reserve of strength he had if he was going to make it out alive.

This time when he dreamt he dreamt of a snowy place that went on for miles, it must've been freezing yet the cold had no effect on him. He could faintly here distant rumblings that sounded like a voice, he couldn't make out much more than that over the snowstorm that was blowing around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey an early chapter wouldn't you know? It really is possible! So how'd you like chapter 3? Leave a review with your thoughts. Anyway I'm out to write chapter 4! Later! ~IF


	4. Mysterious Words and Chains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay~! Another early update~! Sorry about the same change. So if you didn't read the author's note its because I plan to have a sequel for this story called To Protect the Protector, because it fits better they way. So as of right now how would you guys feel about a sequel? Disclaimer and chapter? I think so~. See you at the bottom!  
> DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN, ONLY THE PLOT AND OCs

Toshiro had claimed Ichigo's vacant room. He wasn't entirely sure why but he just knew that being surrounded by Ichigo's scent calmed him down, but it did, and he was willing to do anything so he didn't get so stressed that he snapped at his away team. He was laying in Ichigo's bed. He had thought the teen would smell like strawberries, he was pretty sure Matsumoto had gotten the idea in his head, but the teen actually smelled like chocolate and a hint of strawberries, surprisingly enough.

Either way, the bed was still a few inches to big for him, even though he had gown a few inches himself. The first day that they had been searching Urahara had come to Ichigo's house and taken his body to a safe location, leaving a note saying that Ichigo was on a school trip. He thought about how the body had taken up much of the bed, leaving just enough room for a smaller body to slip into, not for the first time the bed felt so much emptier.

Preferring to not dwell on those thoughts, he close his eyes in an attempt to get some rest. Just as he was on the brink of sleep somewhere in the back if his mind he heard a voice that didn't belong to him or Hyourinmaru. It uttered only one word, yet it was unmistakable about what it uttered. The word utter was 'protect.'

Somehow, even though the voice had nothing substantial to it, he knew that it was Ichigo. How he wasn't sure. He found himself acting on an impulse and reaching out his reiatsu towards the origin of the voice but he couldn't find the source.

Whatever weariness that Toshiro had faded away with this discovery. He sat up in the bed. Looking at the wall he tried to recall everything about that one second. There was a minuscule amount of reiatsu that had flared up, to small to tell who's it was, but it was large enough that he got the most prominent feelings in it, fear and pain.

Though this event brought more questions than it answered. Protect who or what? Also was he the only one to hear it? But he was certain that it was Ichigo's, how he didn't care, but it did tell him that Ichigo was currently alive, but in pain. Toshiro felt an unknown rage build up. Toshiro had never felt this strong of anger before, not even at Aizen who almost killed Momo.

Someone was hurting Ichigo, and he could do nothing about it since he had no clue as to where the stupid strawberry was. _Wait... did I just think of him as 'strawberry?' What the hell!_ He mentally screamed.

He let out a low growl in frustration. Hyourinmaru did this soft cooing noise to try and calm down his master. It worked only the smallest amount. Toshiro flung the window open hoping that the night air would cool his head. The question of wether or not Ichigo did this when he was upset popped into his head. He shook his head, thoughts like that would only serve to distract him.

Sure the young captain felt a kinship to the substitute shinigami, both being fairly young and already so powerful, and admittedly they both had a lot to learn. He also admired the teen's loyalty to his friends, that type of loyalty is something Soul Society desperately needed, especially in captains.

He wondered if Ichigo would accept being a captain. If they found him Toshiro would make sure that Ichigo was asked if he would consider being a captain. As Toshiro gazed off into the distance he didn't notice the reiatsu of his Vice-Captain until she was nearly on top of him.

She landed next to him. "Oh! Captain you look deep in thought."

He sent her a half-hearted glare. She looked at him with something akin to pity, but wisely did not comment on it. She knew when her captain wanted to talk, or when he acted like he didn't want to but just needed prodding. Rangiku wasn't stupid, she just acted like it most of the time, she was a Vice-Captain after all.

She decided that she would try to get to the heart of the subject the long way.  
"Captain you should sleep."

"Not tired." He replied coldly.

She rolled her eyes. Sometimes her captain acted like a young child. "Even so, being tired won't help us find Ichigo."

Something flashed in her captain's eyes that she wasn't familiar with.  _Seems like I'm nearing the subject that's got him so riled._

Toshiro kept his gaze on the skyline. "I can't sleep if I'm not tired."

"Did you even try?"

The slightest of nods was all she got back in return. She leaned against the wall. "Are you sure you're not tired? You're awful crabby."

Toshiro felt his irritation grow. Normally he'd be able to deal with his vice-captain, but there were too many things going on inside his head. He knew what the strawberry-blonde was saying, he just couldn't sleep, not after what happened.

_Ah. He stopped talking._ Rangiku raised an eyebrow. "Captain... I don't mean to pry." There was a mumble of "Yes you do." She bit back a chuckle. "But could it be that you're worried about Ichigo?"

Her captain's eyes widened. She allowed herself a small smile at the victory. "He's strong. He'll be fine. I bet he'll be complaining about how long it took us when we arrive!"

Toshiro looked away. "I know he's strong, too strong sometimes not only in power but in personality. Its those types of people you have to watch the most, because if they fall they fall hard."

Rangiku looked at her captain with a surprised face, he sounded well past his age. But it would seem that he wasn't done. "Whoever took him, they almost killed him in two hits!" Toshiro cried. "They aren't our common foes."

The Vice-Captain nodded. "I know, but I still think there was something about the fight we missed. I don't think that they're that much more powerful than Ichigo."

Toshiro gave the slightest of shrugs.  _So there's something else as well._

"Captain? Are you sure you're alright?" Rangiku asked him with a concerned tone.

Toshiro turned to look at the unusually serious Rangiku. She did look concerned,  _She's actually pretty preceptive when she wants to be._

"I guess I'm stressed out." Toshiro said after a few moments of silence. "I mean so much had happened and its been a relatively short time period. It seems like we found Aizen was a traitor yesterday."

Rangiku nodded. That wasn't the whole problem yet. She'd wait until her captain spoke again.

"Matsumoto?" She perked up at her name. She never had managed to get him to call her Rangiku. "What do you know about bonds between people?"

She paused, pondering the best way to respond. "I know that a lot of bonds are strong, but not strong enough to stand the test of time. The few that are actually do last forever, because those soul's have found their soulmate. Well that's what I've heard anyway."

"What about those with reiatsu?" Toshiro prodded.

"Eh?" She asked, she thought about it a moment. "I suppose you mean shinigami? A lot of times if they've found their soul mate, they tend to be more in tune with their partners reiatsu. The partners can tell what their partner's feeling, and will probably be the first to know if their partner dies. Why?"

Toshiro figured that since they were on the topic he might as divulge what happened to him. "I was trying to sleep and all the sudden this voice in the back of my mind uttered one word and disappeared. There was enough reiatsu I could tell what it was feeling but not who it was. But somehow I knew it was Ichigo."  
Rangiku listened with interest. She had never heard of this happening but it would actually explain why her captain was interested in Ichigo when he first showed up in Soul Society, but he didn't get much of a chance to investigate with the whole Aizen problem. It also shed light on her captain's behavior when he found out that Ichigo was injured and missing.

"You could feel his emotions?" She finally asked.  
A stiff nod. "Not pleasant ones."

Rangiku decided she wouldn't push any farther. "Don't worry, maybe you'll be able to get a better read on Ichigo's location if it happens again and then we'll be one step closer to rescuing him!"

Toshiro gave her another curt nod. "Perhaps."

"Well I should be getting back to where I'm staying for the time being. Try to get some sleep. We'll start looking in the morning again."

With that the10th squad Vice-Captain leapt from the window, leaving Toshiro alone to his thoughts. The white haired captain gave a frustrated sigh. He shut the window and flopped on top of the bed.

He tried to get the voice out of his head. That stupid word, he would never be able to sleep like with the feeling of hopelessness that was slowly settling in his gut. Toshiro growled and forced himself to sleep.

* * *

On the other side of town a certain Red-haired Vice-Captain was scanning the buildings. He knew that there was no way he'd be able to sleep if they didn't have a single lead on Ichigo's location. At this point he didn't care if they got something vague like the went to the west. Renji wasn't a fan of how little they had to go on.

Then again he always felt like it was better to leave the planning and ideas to the people who were able to do it and he would carry them out. But at the moment Renji really wished that he was able to put things together. He knew that there was something that they had to be missing in order for them to not be any closer to finding Ichigo than they were.

This brought him to the problem of why he was so desperate to find the teen. They were best friends sure, they've fought together and against each other several times, so they were sure to have a strong bond, but Rukia, who had been with the kid since the beginning wasn't out here at 'o dark thirty standing on a telephone pole searching for anything. He decided that it was because they were best friends and Ichigo would look for him without hesitation.

It was distressing to think that Ichigo was somewhere alone, probably in pain. Renji knew that the kid was strong, but he wonder just how strong. He also wondered if Ichigo was placing as much faith in his friends as they do to him. Renji did have a lot of faith in the kid himself but with his personality it'd have to be pretty bad for him to actually ask for help.

He closed his eyes and focused on strong sources of reiatsu. He ignore the ones that he knew were the members of the search team, also he ignored Urahara's reiatsu as well. The first night that he did this he found a reiatsu that was similar to Ichigo's on investigating he found out that it belonged to Ichigo's father, which he found odd. There were no reports of Isshin having reiatsu before, especially that strong.

Going further than he had he previous night there was still not a trace of Ichigo. He was getting frustrated. There had to be something! They had checked the park for any anomalies, that turned up nothing. They searched further, but it was becoming more apparent to Renji that Ichigo wasn't in Karakura town anymore.

Renji sighed and opened his eyes. He honestly didn't know what to do anymore, Karakura town was clear of Ichigo's reiatsu, and there really wasn't a place anyone could travel to in this town that would be able to hid reiatsu, they had checked any possible places. From what he had been told Ichigo had gone through a portal, and hadn't ended up in Soul Society, so unless there was another world he didn't know about there was only one other option: Hueco Mundo. But they couldn't go there without special permission, and on just a whim, they needed proof. Which they had yet to obtain.

Letting out a throaty growl, he turned and shunpoed to his temporary residence. There was nothing else he could do tonight, dawn was nearly upon them and while he wouldn't get any sleep, he didn't want to worry Chad that he'd disappeared, doing his own thing.

_Just come back in one piece you stupid Strawberry._

He could almost here the retort coming back at him with his nickname of pineapple tacked on to the end of the sentence.

* * *

Ichigo normally moved around in his sleep ending up in a different position than he started in when he woke up. Rukia had commented on it a few times. Yet he was still in that curled up position he fell asleep in, which was a testament to how injured he was.

He groaned, his muscles were stiff from sleeping on the floor, whatever poison they had on that dagger, he was starting to think of it more as a drug, was still in his system. His sore muscles, while under normal circumstances would be only stiff and tender, all felt like they were torn. His other injures that he had on his body were already to start to throb as he woke up more.

Ichigo took in an evaluation of himself, he was hurting, badly. His stomach also was starting to feel a little empty, he noted that his mouth was dry, he worked up what little spit he could to get it to moisten his mouth, just so he didn't have that feeling of his mouth being filled with cotton. All in all he could be worse.

Someone must've heard his groan as the door was screeching open five minutes later. In walked Daichi and Yuna. Daichi wore a stern expression, giving off the air that he really didn't want to be here. Yuna however scowled at him, showing him her full displeasure. Yuna's hair was pulled back and she had a box with her. Daichi took the box from her and walked over to the opposite wall. He took a few things out and the cell was then filled with sounds of metal being driven through stone. The loud noises and echoing was giving Ichigo a headache, but he couldn't just ask for aspirin or for them to leave him alone, he'd have to deal with it.

Yuna stared at him. Her head tilted to the side, and once again her face had something innocent about it, but he knew what she was capable of. He wasn't fooled for a second. She leaned closer and he pulled back. She pouted. "Aw. Why are you flinching?"

He stubbornly said nothing. While there wasn't something binding him so he couldn't talk but he chose not to talk, it was a small act of rebellion that he enjoyed profusely.

She straightened herself, the pout still adorning her face, yet it was slowly being perverted into a smirk that held so many secrets. "Not talking? Oh well."

She turned her head to see the progress Daichi had made. She returned her russet gaze back to him. She observed him, studying him like an art work. "Shame we'll have to eventually mark up that pretty little face of yours. You're truly a handsome man Ichigo, but maybe we can avoid any further damage to it, eh?"

Ichigo pressed his lips into a firm line. He didn't like what she was hinting at. Daichi finished doing what ever it was he was doing. Glancing over to the opposite wall he saw shackles hanging there threateningly.

"Done? Wonderful!" Yuna cried.

Daichi stepped foreword, and to the best of his ability, Ichigo pushed himself backward but he was already pushed against the wall and there wasn't much else he could do. Daichi leaned down and yanked him up by his arm, a yelp of pain escaped his lips as the movement jarred his injuries, causing them to bleed, and the drug also intensified the pain where it felt like his arm was being ripped off.

Daichi's face grew satisfied when he heard the yelp. He dragged the teen over to the other side of the room. He shoved Ichigo roughly against the wall. It was then ichigo saw what was impaled into the wall. They were shackles. His arms were quickly locked up and they were placed stretching out from his body, leaving his torso exposed.

"Now that's hot." Yuna said, joining Daichi at his side.

Daichi grunted. "Now what?"

Yuna stopped, placing his finger on her chin, deep in thought. "Good question." She tapped her chin. "What do you think?"

Daichi looked at Ichigo, then he walked over to the chest in the corner, he grabbed something, it was a smaller version of the cat-o-nine-tails. Daichi unwound it. "How about this?"

Yuna looked disapprovingly at him. "Huh? Whipping him? That's so boring! Not to mention it seems like a lot of hard work."

"Anything that involves moving is hard work to you." Daichi responded.  
"Not true. Fighting involves moving at that's not hard work." Yuna whined. "Besides whips cause bleeding that's Tadashi's job, we can't risk our prisoner bleeding out."

Daichi placed the whip back in the crate. "What do you suggest then?"

"Beating him?" Yuna titled her head.

"With just out fists?" Daichi inquired.

"Why not? I always wondered how fast a human bruises." Yuna waved her hand around in a circle. "Knock yourself out, I may join in."

Yuna leaned against on of the walls, her eyes were closed . Daichi sent a harsh look her way, then turned his gaze onto Ichigo. The teen stared back, there wasn't much he could do strung up like this. His body was completely unprotected,.

Daichi took a step foreword and lifted his first, a solid punch landed on his eye his head recoiled from the force of the impact and smashed against the wall. He was surprised that someone would be able to throw away their honor in order to punch a defenseless man in the face. Ichigo knew that he had a concussion, there was no doubt with a blow like that.

The next one was even more painful than the last hit. The man had followed up quickly with a jab to Ichigo's stomach. For a few seconds Ichigo thought he was going to lose whatever food he had left in his stomach. Just as the struggle began to regain his breath another jab followed through to his stomach.

Daichi was soon in a rhythm delivering blow after blow to his stomach. A few times Daichi had struck in his rib area, leaving more than one rib broken, and leaving Ichigo even more breathless. The pain was enough to make Ichigo want to pass out, but he was unable to, it felt like he was being repeatedly struck in the torso with a baseball bat.

On one particularly nasty punch it had actually gotten Ichigo to cough up some unknown fluid. Daichi didn't even hesitate to punch him again. Ichigo wasn't sure how long he was being used as a punching bag but it seemed like forever before Daichi finally stopped his assault on his body. Daichi released his shackles which had rubbed his wrists red and raw. Ichigo crumpled to the floor in a heap, ever breath painful and a struggle.

As Yuna opened the door, she walked over to him and delivered a sharp kick to his gut. Ichigo coughed up blood. Then like nothing had happened Yuna turned on her heel and left, Daichi was only a step behind her.

The door swung close and locked with an ominous bang. Leaving Ichigo bathed in the poor light of his cell. He was struggling to catch his breath. The pain was something he hadn't even encountered before. He couldn't figure out why though, his brain was groggy and he wanted to sleep. Afraid that he had a concussion he fought to stay awake, but there was nothing to keep him occupied. The pain was helpful to keep him awake, but his pain tolerance was being surpassed exponentially.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought he felt a twinge of worry and of anger, but he couldn't be sure. He had lost the fight of staying conscious and was falling quickly into the black.

_Meanwhile_

To figures stood still surrounded by endless skyscrapers. The rain hadn't stopped in what seemed like years as it was now up to most of the skyscrapers second floors. It was raining so hard it was actually getting them wet. Yet it seemed that the figures didn't mind it one bit.

They were both looking up at the sky. One face, who's eyes were covered by glasses had a pronounced frown on his face. The other, whose face was normally adorned with a cocky smirk was merely blank.

"I cannot access my link with him, he's in too much pain to listen." Said the shaded man. He normally able to contact the young shinigami through their link, even if the teen didn't have Zangetsu with him.

He didn't know what was causing his wielder to be in so much pain. Zangetsu wanted to materialize next to Ichigo to see what his condition was exactly and maybe try to help, but if he could get Ichigo to listen and open their link he was unable to.

The hollow that resided in Ichigo's inner world was strangely quiet. It'd be a blessing on normal days, but now it just proved how much trouble Ichigo was in. Concern wove its way into Zangetsu's link, hoping that a strong emotion would break through the barrier.

Hichigo was looking up at the sky. Leave it to him to get stuck in a human, at least then he had been strong and could've taken over but the human was strangely resilient. He hated the rain, it was annoying when it was only lightly drizzling, but now it felt like a feakin' monsoon.

Hichigo's link with Ichigo was fragile at its best and no existent when it was at its worse. Ichigo didn't fully trust his hollow, with good reason, so they were never able to get that connection like he had with Zangetsu. The hollow didn't care, the teen left him alone and most of the time he left the teen alone, they borrowed each others powers and tolerated each other's existence.

When Ichigo lost his powers, Hichigo did as well. Then Ichigo regained his shinigami powers but not his hollow powers. The only reason Hichigo didn't vanish was because of Ichigo's fullbringer powers. He was still a powerless hollow and it annoyed him.

He was angry at whoever was messing with his landlord. The teen was in an agony that made the hollow surprisingly unhappy. Hichigo figured it was because he knew that if the teenager was fighting Zangetsu wouldn't have such a strange aura around him, so that meant he was in pain and not fighting back, and if Hichigo had to guess, he wasn't fighting back because he couldn't.

That's what really got him, here he was just another occupant of Ichigo's inner world, standing around, doing nothing, and his landlord was being put through a pain that nobody should be forced to feel.

Expect the people who are doing it in the first place. Hichigo was powerless and he was pissed. Yet the only thing he could do was feel through his feeble connection with the orange haired teen and feel what he was feeling. Also he was trying to think of a way that he could get his powers back so that he could take over Ichigo's body and rip these bastards limb from limb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're at the bottom and I see you! How's it so far? Leave your thoughts below! Any guesses on what's going to happen next? Leave a review! I'm really excited and hyper! I love you all~! Off to write Chapter 5! Later! ~IF


	5. Battle! Shinigami vs Ex-Shinigami?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title tells it all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter five is here! I can't believe I'm getting chapters out so quickly. So anyway lots of fighting in this chapter. I know I still have a lot of work to do with my fight scenes but I think I wrote it fairly well. Well disclaimer and chapter is next in the line up. See you at the bottom!
> 
> DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN BLEACH OR ITS CHARACTERS. I DO OWN THE OC APPEARING IN THE STORY AND THE PLOT, AND THE ORGANIZATIONS.  
> Please don't use my oc's without my permission.

Ichigo wasn't sure how much time had truly passed from the time he awoke from his original meeting with the group. Though by how hungry he was feeling and the weakness coming from the hunger he was able to guess it had been about a week. His captors had given him just enough water to keep him alive every, what he assumed at least, two days, he also came up with the number because he's they've brought in water twice.

Each day two different people would come in. The day after he first torture session. Tadashi and Enyo had walked in. Tadashi and graze the tip of his dagger along his torso. Enyo had just stood back, and every time the redhead stopped with his blade she would crack her whip on his back, leaving deep impressions on his body. The drug that he had in his system had dulled down but it was still there and was always intensifying the pain.

He watched the door. It was about the time that his two tormentors for the day would walk in, that door making the horrible screeching noise Each day his "sessions", as he once hear Yuna refer to it as, got shorter as he was unable to stay conscious. It seemed that the amount if pain dealt to him would steadily increase each day.

He wasn't sure what they were trying to do to him, they weren't asking questions and they weren't trying to get him to join them, so he was at a loss of why he was being put through so much pain.

The door began its familiar song of scraping open. Ichigo looked up to see who would be inflicting pain on him today. It was Tadashi and Daichi. Tadashi's dagger was already released. Daichi had his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

The two of them walked in and the door closed behind them. Daichi spoke once the door was fully closed. "I don't get it. How's this supposed to get him out?"

Ichigo mentally sighed, they had made several comments about his hollow, but surely they knew that when he lost his shinigami powers his hollow died. He watched them, wondering what they're strategy.

"Maybe it isn't. Maybe boss just wanted to break the kid?" Tadashi shrugged. Looking at Ichigo with a strange expression.

"Seems like an odd way to do it." Daichi shrugged. "You start."

Tadashi approached the teen slowly. Ichigo curled into himself like he did before he was dragged and pinned into whatever position they wanted him to be in so they could inflict the most damage. The redhead kneeled down in front of the teen. Cautiously Tadashi maneuvered Ichigo into an upright position. Ichigo was looking into emerald eyes, he hadn't ever gotten a really good look at any of his captor, and he was surprised at how handsome Tadashi was.

Tadashi lifted a hand towards Ichigo's face. Before everything had happened he would've not even flinched, yet now he was pulling himself as far away from the hand as he could. It was a subconscious action. He realized it was much like a dog whose been beaten, now every human and hand it saw going towards it was now an enemy and not to be trusted, even if the human's were trying to help.

It felt weird to have a fear drilled into you. Ichigo had never been skittish. He was a man who faced death many times and never ran in fear. Yet the simple action of a hand being raised sent shivers down his spine, making any thoughts of escaping and of fighting back flee his mind.

The hand had finished its path. It landed on his face and was caressing it? His eyes widened at the unexpected action. He blinked a few times, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He couldn't react. If he had been hit he would've fallen back and not gotten up, being caressed was something else entirely.

Tadashi bit back a smirk at the teens obvious confusion and shock. Wanting to drive the teen further, to see what else he could get out of the teen. He leaned foreword and stole a chaste kiss, it had no feelings behind it, but as expected it made the teen even more confused.

The redheaded scott knew that this was more mental torture than physical torture but it was what the boss wanted. He also knew that the orange-haired shinigami hadn't had friendly human contact in about a week.

He stood up, taking care to allow his hand to linger on the teens cheek. He turned around motioning of Daichi to follow. They had come to do only that, the two tomorrow would have to act on it.

The boss had ordered that the session be brief and non physical, he had released his dagger for nothing more than show. Today one of the five would be taking their cell out to the human world to take care of those pesky shinigami that were poking around.

He laughed to himself, little did the shinigami know what was about to happen. There were at least three captain classes among the group and the rest were vice-captain strength. He also was amused at how the king created his army. It was another Gotei 13. There were actually 13 different cells and cell leaders. The other seven of their ranks were currently infiltrating Soul Society, some where even members of squads! Others were observing the areas, finding strategic places and those types.

Of course their cells weren't made up entirely of shinigami, they were anyone who refused the ways of the shinigami, or were rejected by the Gotei 13. Of course there were mercenaries that they could hire, Enyo's cell was testament to that. Most of her cell was made out of Shadow society members. But all of the premiers, the leaders of the cells, were former shinigami.

Tadashi walked into the throne room, briefly blinded by the bright window light. Daichi was steps behind him.

"Good. You kept it brief." Sachio greeted warmly.

Tadashi and Daichi both bowed deeply. Then walked to opposites of the circle which had many gaps in the middle of it. Three premiers stood to his right, and two on his left. Tadashi stood next to Enyo. He was still amazed by her beauty every time he saw her. Daichi was standing next to Yuna.

"As you know, a group of high level Gotei members are investigating around the area we picked our guest up." Sachio began. "According to a report from the Devil Cell's Premier, the 12th division has finally located the anomaly in which we reside, and it would seem that the humans have ways of contacting the Soul Society."

There was a murmuring among the few premiers. Sachio waited for them to quiet down. "They know very little about us. They think us nothing more than renegades. We'll show them. That's why I'm sending a premier, with a few hand-selected cell members, to the World of the Living to show them some of our power."  
Enyo spoke up. "Wouldn't that be giving up out element of surprise if we attack them once?"  
"We don't need surprise. We'll storm into Seireitei, and take over by force. That'll be our surprise." Sachio replied.

Enyo didn't speak after that. He dark eyes cast downwards, her head lowered in a small bow.

Sachio clapped his hands together "Now! To announce the lucky Premier."

The premiers present straightened themselves, each hoping to get the mission. Sachio looked at the five premiers present. There was no doubt who he would send.

"Yuna! The mission is yours. Take whoever you see fit, but I want one-on-one battles. We aren't monsters after all."

Yuna smiled brightly as she was told the mission was hers. With a smug look to Daichi she bowed graciously to Sachio. "Thank you. You won't be disappointed, milord."

Sachio nodded. "Get a move on."

Yuna stood up and walked towards the doors. She was restraining herself from skipping out of her room. The Gotei members that were in the World of the Living were strong. Something that was suited to the Demon Cell.

She walked to her wing of the castle. There her top cell members sat waiting for her. "We have the mission."

Yuna had prepared her tops incase she got the mission. Her tops stood up and waited for her to open the Sekai Torabaasaa. With a snap of her fingers the familiar red-violet door opened. With a light shove, as if she was opening a door, she vanished into the light.

She walked through, the King had created a pathway above the dangai, so that his troops didn't have to worry about the cleaner as many of them weren't used to traveling like shinigami.

Her tops were right behind her and she walked gracefully on the floating pathway. It was about ten minutes later and they were approaching the area she wanted to be at. With another snap of her fingers the Sekai Torabaasaa door opened up. She leapt from her spot and through it.

When she emerged on the other side she spotted the group of Shinigami that she was sent to play with. They had turned to face her. The rest of her group appeared behind her, the last one kicking the door shut behind him.

She noted that only one had the haori of a captain, he also looked like the youngest.  _Figures, probably has family connections. Maybe he's a Kuchiki?_  She thought with irritation.  _Though that's the tenth's haori alright._

Toshiro turned around to face the source of the spiritual pressure, surprised to see six new figures come out of nowhere. "Who are you?" He asked with as much authority as he could muster.

"Me?" The blue haired woman questioned innocently. "I'm a lowly shinigami, well ex-shinigami."

"I'm not in the mood to play games." Toshiro said crossing his arms.

"That's a pity. I am." The girl sighed. "But shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

The white haired captain felt a vein start to protrude from the annoyance this girl was causing him. "Toshiro Hitsugaya. Captain of the Tenth division of the 13 Gotei."

The girl growled. "There's no way your the captain! You're younger than me!"

Toshiro said nothing. The girl glared at him. "Name's Yuna. Premier of the Demon Cell."

Toshiro felt an eyebrow raise. He wasn't familiar with the title of Premier, or the Demon Cell. Rukia stepped up to him. "Captain Hitsugaya, do you think she could be a member of the group that took Ichigo?"

"The thought had crossed my mind. There is no doubt about that being our uniform. She has a katana as well."

"Very astute!" Yuna said happily. "I was actually a member of the group that took... what was his name? Kurosaki?"

The group of shinigami suddenly went tense when she uttered those words. Yuna continued sensing she had the upper hand. "He's still alive, King won't let us kill him. But, boy does he scream when you cut him."

She smirked. "You really put all of your faith into  _him_? I mean an associate of mine hit him once and he barely stayed conscious. I almost killed him."

Toshiro heard someone next to him growl in anger, unsurprisingly he found that it was Renji, looking absolutely murderous.

Yuna still pressed on, enjoying the looks of pure hatred she was getting. "He's a handsome boy, but he looks positively stunning strung up and helpless to do anything as he's beaten to a bloody pulp. His yelps and whimpers of pain are so cute."

"Roar, Zabimaru!" Came from the group of shinigami before anyone had a chance to stop him the whip-like blade was speeding towards the girl.

Someone stepped foreword and stopped the blade just before it hit Yuna. A man with light brown hair that was long enough to be slicked back had drawn his blade and was standing calmly in front of his Premier with a bored expression.

"My, my." Yuna chuckled. "It seem that I struck a nerve. But it is rather rude to suddenly attack without warning."

Renji yanked back Zabimaru. "Isn't that what you did to Ichigo?"

She tilted her head. "Perhaps. We should talk more after we fight."

Yuna turned around and nodded, her squad leapt towards the person they wanted to fight. Her second in command taking on the red-haired man that attacked her. Another one of her squad members took the captain. She sighed. She observed the man she would be fighting.

Ikkaku watched as the others were quickly picked as opponents. He looked to where the invaders had been standing moments before seeing only the Premier standing there, she looked bored.

"Damn Isamu. Taking the captain for himself." She grumbled. "Though with the power your radiating you're looking more promising than that white haired brat."

Ikkaku felt a sharp flare in her reiatsu. She had drawn her sword and he did the same. "What squad are you from?"

Ikkaku puffed out his chest proudly. "Ikkaku Madarame. Eleventh \division, third seat."

Yuna looked impressed. "The eleventh eh? To be that high of rank in that squad must mean you have some skill. That's what I liked about the eleventh, it was always the most honest of the squads." Though unlike the eleventh she had given each of the races in her squad one person to represent that group in her top seats, instead of basing it on power.

Ikkaku raised his sword getting incredibly uneasy as the Premier started walking toward him, the tip of her blade dragging in the dirt. She had an odd smile on her face and she tilted her head. Then she vanished reappearing with her sword swinging down towards him.  _'She's fast!'_ He thought as he raised his blade to block her. If it had been anyone with less training than him that person would be split in half. He managed to push her back.

She tilted her head once more and a wicked grin spread across her face. She stepped foreword and within a heartbeat she was slashing at his side, it tip of her blade cut his robes but left him otherwise unscathed, partly because it was going to be a shallow cut and the other part was Ikkaku had shifted at just the right moment.

She was behind him, and he turned around to face her. "Will you truly not raise your blade against me? It makes you easier to kill, which I don't mind. But as a high ranking officer of the eleventh will you die like a dog and not fight? What would your Captain say?"

Ikkaku growled at the back of his throat. She was right he would die if he didn't go on the offensive but yet she was still a girl. Though being in eleventh it was worse to turn down a good fight, which she clearly was, and if she was the one to take Ichigo down it could prove interesting to see how much power she really wielded.

His battle craze smirk broke out across his lips. He raised Hozukimaru and Yuna's grin grew. "So you will fight me?"

"You look strong. I like a good challenge." Ikkaku shrugged.

"Then we are of the same mind." Yuna raised her sword. "But I really want to fight the white haired kid."

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow. "Getting distracted?" He rushed towards her.

Yuna lazily raised her sword. "Slow."

Ikkaku swung again and again trying to get an opening. At one point his blade bounced off of hers and cut her arm. She looked surprised to be injured and Ikkaku followed through with a lunge that was easily deflected.

"How bothersome. Now I'll never hear the end of it from Daichi." She stuck her sword into the dirt once more. "Let's end this quickly."

She drug the blade an inch or so then muttered "Consume, Jigoku no Tsubasa!" The sword grew into an axe. "I won't use its ability on you. You're and eleventh member, like I used to be, never high up in the seats, but I was one of the only female members, at the time at least."

Ikkaku's eyes widened at the information. Based on the very limited reports they had gotten he knew they were facing shinigami like opponents but to learn that at least one of them was an actual member, of the eleventh no less, was like a punch to the gut. "Grow Hozukimaru!"

Ikkaku's blade extended into a spear. They were both fighting with large two handed weapons. Ikkaku lunged foreword, a battle cry tearing through his lips. Yuna lunged foreword as well brandishing her axe.

* * *

Yumichika stared off towards the area he had just left. He felt Ikkaku's and the girl's reiatsu spike. He had faith in Ikkaku's strength, but the girl's reiatsu was impressive, and she was most likely a skilled warrior.

His opponent on the other hand was downright ugly. The man had a poorly shaved head, in fact there were random clumps of hair sprouting up through his scalp, the rest of his head was bald. It was everything Yumichika could do from cracking right up on the spot.  
Another one of the things that made him unusual to the rest of his squad, he was able to keep a cool head in battle, most of the time at least, sometimes he might get carried away but then doesn't everyone. He thought it was unbeautiful to fight with such tactlessness.

The two of them stayed staring at each other, with their swords drawn, but neither of them making the first move. Then Yumichika's challenger came flying towards him. In all honestly it was an easily blocked strike, the handler of the blade was inexperienced. He was holding the blade too tight and he was striking awkwardly and heavily. All Yumichika had to do was step to the right slightly and dodge the blade.

"What an unbeautiful strike." Yumichika stated dryly.

The man gritted his teeth and attacked again, once more it was only a step to the side to avoid the hit. Yumichika dully wondered if he was here because they wanted to get rid of such a poor swordsman.

Yumichika swung his sword down at his opponents exposed shoulder. Striking it he heard the familiar sound of metal meeting flesh. He swung his blade to the side allowing the blood to run off the tip.

Yumichika sighed, he wasn't one for holding back his insults during battle. "Honestly, you aren't fit to fight a member of the eleventh. A fourth squad member is a better fight than you."

The man leapt away observing his wound. "Provoke, Ikari!" The katana burst into a blinding red light, and then as the light dissipated, Yumichika saw that the sword was now a hand cannon.

He arched an eyebrow. He was not unfamiliar with the human's and their cannons and he knew what they did, so he was weary of the weapon, because his opponent was now confident in his stance and he knew how to use this weapon.

It dawned on Yumichika that this wasn't a shinigami, any decent shinigami would know how to wield a sword, but this guys reiatsu was something he wasn't familiar with. It was weak, to him at least, and he was ratty. Even the most unkempt of shinigami weren't this tacky, Yumichika should know being in the eleventh.

"Who are you?" Yumichika inquired, he honestly didn't care who this guy was but it could prove to be vital information.

"Goro Bando." Goro replied. "And you?"

Yumichika scoffed. "An ugly person like yourself asking me for my name? All you need to know is that I'm the fifth seat in the eleventh squad."

Goro looked unimpressed and didn't care about Yumichika's lack of manners towards him. Instead he lifted the hand cannon and aimed it towards Yumichika. "Whatever, you'll just die a no name then."

Yumichika laughed haughtily. "Do you think you can kill me?"

Goro said nothing. He fired his hand cannon Yumichika dodged easily and rushed foreword. He plunged his blade into Goro's chest. He felt the blade push through to the other side, he had killed the man and there was nothing nobody could do to keep him alive.

Yumichika pulled his blade out of Goro's quickly cooling body, he sheathed his blade and started to head back towards the park. He was a few steps away when he felt his back heat up, as he was in the process of turning around he saw a large fireball hurling towards him, it was too close to dodge and it hit him in the back. He flew foreword several feet skidding in the dirt.

He groaned as he came to a stop. His back was badly burned and he in was too pain to move more than his head, turning his head he had a poor view of Goro, but he could tell that the other man had released his trump card and he was laying stiller than anyone could if they were alive. Yumichika closed his eyes and let out a painful breath. He hoped that the others would finish their fights as quickly as he could and come and get him.

It wasn't beautiful for him to be laying face down in the dirt injured, not badly, and unable to move. He focused on Ikkaku's reiatsu, just so he could have some sort of comfort, knowing that Ikkaku hadn't died, he noticed that Ikkaku's opponent.. what was her name... Yuna? But her reiatsu was so strong that it actually could overpower Ikkaku's slightly.

_Though at least now we have information to work with._ Yumichika thought before the pain overwhelmed most of his sense, but he still stayed focused on his long time friend's reiatsu. He did feel the other's reiatsu sporadically flare and then go down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The battle between Shinigami and foe will continue next chapter, I didn't want to make the chapter overly long that people get scared off by the length and just glance over the chapter. I promise the next one will have a lot of action, also sorry in advance if you wanted Yumi to have more of a fight.
> 
> Well, in other news, we've learned a lot about our foes in this chapter, and I feel like I should extend an invitation to my readers. So as you now know there are seven other bad guys, I but there are six slots I have yet to create a character for, so this is my invitation, send me a PM with your character and it will be in the story, I promise you, and it may even be a premier. So send my your characters.
> 
> See you all next chapter! ~IF

**Author's Note:**

> Thus we've reached the end of our Chapter 1 journey together. Leave your thoughts below, don't be shy! I don't care if its even a "!" just let me know what you thought authors live off of feedback!
> 
> Anywho~ Suggestions on what should happen? Send them to on PM or just even leave them below, I read every review.
> 
> What else do I want to say? Can't think of anything. Off to write Chapter 2! Later! ~IF


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